Three Redbirds earn Valley honors

Posted on March 1, 2016
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell drives to the basket during action this year. (Photo courtesy goRedbirds.com)

By Bryan Bloodworth

NORMAL – Illinois State’s DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell earned second-team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors announced by the league office Tuesday. Teammates Paris Lee and MiKyle McIntosh gained honorable mention status and Lee was named to the all-defensive team.

Normal Community graduate Anthony Beane of Southern Illinois was a first-team selection and was joined by Wichita State’s Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet along with Evansville’s Egidijus Mockevicius and D.J. Balentine. All five are seniors.

Akoon-Purcell leads ISUoffensively and ranks seventh in the league with 14.1 points per game. He has started 29 games and appeared in all 31, recording double figures in points in 29 of ISU’s 31 games.

He has recorded 20 or more points four times this year, leading the Redbirds in scoring a team-best 13 times. The Orlando, Fl., native ranks 16th in the MVC with 4.6 rebounds per game. The 2015 MVC Newcomer of the Year was also named to the MVC All-Newcomer Team in 2015. In two years at ISU, he has amassed 795 career-points.

Lee leads the Redbirds in steals with 1.7 per game, which ranks second in the league. He also leads ISU in assists with 3.7 per game, which ranks fourth in the MVC. His 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth in the conference.

Lee’s scoring average of 11.1 points per game ranks second on the team and 20th in the Missouri Valley Conference, while his 77.9 percent free throw percentage leads the team and ranks ninth in the league. He has started 29 of ISU’s 31 games and is making his second-straight appearance on the MVC All-Defensive Team. He is the seventh Redbird in program history to earn two All-Defensive Team honors. The Maywood, Ill., native is tied for second place on the career-steals list, with 181.

McIntosh ranks third on the team in scoring (10.7 points) and second in rebounding (4.8), which ranks 15th in the MVC. His 1.9 offensive rebounds per contest ranks sixth in the conference.

McIntosh has started 26 of ISU’s 31 games, scoring in double figures in eight of the past 11 games, including 10 of the past 15, and 16 this season. He has scored 20 or more points four times. The Pickering, Ontario, native has recorded 16 blocks and 20 steals.

First Team

Ron Baker, Wichita State, Sr.
D.J. Balentine, Evansville, Sr.
Anthony Beane, Southern Illinois, Sr.
Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville, Sr.
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State, Sr.

Second team

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell, Illinois State, Sr.

Devonte Brown, Indiana State, Sr.
Montel James, Loyola, Sr.
Brenton Scott, Indiana State, Soph.
Wes Washpun, Northern Iowa, Sr.

Honorable-Mention Selections
Matt Bohannon, Northern Iowa, Sr.
Paris Lee, Illinois State, Jr.
MiKyle McIntosh, Illinois State, So.
Dequon Miller, Missouri State, Jr.
Jeremy Morgan, Northern Iowa, Jr.
Reed Timmer, Drake, So.

All-Newcomer Team
Dequon Miller, Missouri State, Jr.
Anton Grady, Wichita State, Sr.
Mike Rodriguez. Southern Illinois, Jr.
Markis McDuffie, Wichita State, Fr.
Everett Clemons, Indiana State, Jr.

All-Freshman Team
Markis McDuffie, Wichita State
Obediah Church, Missouri Statehttp://[email protected]
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye, Bradley
Jarred Dixon, Missouri State
Luuk van Bree, Bradley

All-Defensive Team
Ron Baker, Wichita State, Sr.
Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville, Sr.
Jeremy Morgan, Northern Iowa, Jr.
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State, Sr.
Paris Lee, Illinois State, Jr.

Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]

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